Coating machine drive



May 10, 1932. A. D. EVANS COATING MACHINE DRIVE Filed July '14, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A I SENTOR SW MX M May 10, 1932. A. D. EVANS 1,857,631

COATING MACHINE DRIVE Filed July 14, 1930 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 8 A Z-JIH D, (1711-5 \L'A Maia, \wl \RQAQ I H h Ma wa -m May 10, 1932. A. D. EVANS COATING MACIIINE DRIVE I Filed July 14, 1930 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 HMUQQZQM (xmww Patented May 10, 1932 UNIT-ED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARCHIBALD D. EVANS, OF WARREN, OHIO, .ASSIGNOB TO THE WEAN ENGINEERING- COMPANY, INC., OF WARREN, OHIO, A ('2ORIPORA'JIION OF OHIO coiel'rme MACHINE DRIVE Application filed July 14,

' drives and is described herein as applied to tween the driving motor or other prime movgalvanizing machines, although the drive may be used in connection withother types of coating machines.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the present preferred embodiment of my invention Figure 1 is a plan view of a galvanizing 19 machine anda drive embodying my invention; 7

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged plan view'of the galvanizing machine drive; and v Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional VleW through the galvanizing kettle showing the means for driving the center rolls.

In carrying out a galvanizing process it is usual to pass the sheets after they have been washed through squeegee rolls to remove the water and then to pass them in succession between entrance or,flux rolls, center rolls, and final coating rolls, after which they are deposited on a conveyor which leads them to straightening machines,

The uniform coating of the sheets'depends largely upon the eflicient operation of the exit or final coating rolls. These rolls become pitted after they have been used for some time and'in order to provide a smooth surface thereon they are machined or dressed at frequent intervals. The dressing of the 35 exit rolls-reduces them in diameter and it accordingly becomes necessary to change the revolution speed of the exit rolls, or the revolution speed of the entrance and center rolls in order that the peripheral speed of all of these sets of rolls may be the same.

It has been customary heretofore to change the speed of revolution of the exit rolls after they have been dressed in order to compensate for the decrease in diameter. Changing the revolution speed of the exit rolls necessitates the use of a change speed device beer and the exit rolls. The use of a change speed unit between the driving motor and the exit rolls is objectionable for the reason that wherever a change speed unit is em- 1930. Serial No. 467,851.

ployed it results in chatter and vibration,

which is transmitted at least in part to the final exit rolls. character and uniformity of the coating is largely determined by the vibration and chatter in the exit rolls, so that in order to produce uniform coating of the sheets it is necessary that the exit rolls be free from vibration and chatter; A small amount of vibration in the entrance or center rolls does not have nearly as bad an effect on the coating as if the vibration were in the exit rolls.

In accordance with the present invention, vibration and chatter of the exit rolls is eliminated or substantially descr'eased by the elimination of all change speed gearing between the prime mover and the exit rolls, the speed ratio of the driving motor and the exit rolls always being maintained constant. In order to provide the desired speed of exit rolls, a worm reduction unit is used in the connection between the motor and the exit rolls. It is necessary, however, to change the revolution speeds of the entrance and center rolls in order to compensate for dressing down the exit rolls and this is accomplished in the present invention by providing a speed change unit between the driving motor and the entrance and center rolls. In accordance equal amount of vibration transmitted to the exit rolls. The amount of vibration is also reduced by the use of gear transmissions having as a final drive-unit just prior to the rolls a worm and worm wheel type gear.

Referring more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the pickled sheets which are stored in a water bosh 2 are fed manually through the squeegee rolls 3 and guides 4 to the entrance or flux rolls 5 and 5. They are As previously stated, the

guided from the entrance rolls 5 to the center rolls 6 and 6 by entrance guides 7 and are guided from the center rolls to the exit rolls 8 and 8' by exit guides 9. After passing between the exit rolls 8, they are delivered to a and ashaft 24 connected to one of the rolls 3. The upper squeegee roll 3 is resiliently pressed into contact with the lower roll by a spring 25, as indicated in Figure 4.

The entrance rolls 5. and 5 are also driven I from the shaft 20, which is connected through a clutch 27 to a shaft 28 having a gear 29 secured thereto. The gear 29 meshes with a gear 30 carried by the neck .of the roll '5'. The roll 5' is forced toward the roll. 5 by a spring 30', as shown in Figure 4.

The lower center roll 6 is provided at one end. with a worm wheel 35 which is driven by a worm 36 on a vertically extending shaft 37 mounted in bearings 38 and 39. Thei'shaft 37 carries at its upper end a bevel gear' 40 which meshes with a bevel gear 41 which is secured to a driven shaft 42. The upper center roll 6' is driven from the lower center roll 6 through pinions on the opposite end of the roll necks. The upper roll 6' is mounted in a movable bearing 45 which has a rod 46 connected thereto. The upper end of the rod 46 Y is connected at 47 to an arm 48 pivoted at 49 and provided with a weight 50 which urges the bearing 45 and upper roll 6' toward the lower center roll 6., p

The exit roll 8' is driven from a shaft by means of a gear 61 secured to the shaft and a gear 62 secured to the roll 8. The roll 8 is driven from the roll 8 bymeans of pinions 63 and 64' on the opposite roll necks. The roll 8' is forced toward the roll 8 by a spring 65 surrounding a link 66 and abutting against a washer 67 and a bracket68. The spring 65 has a tendency to rotate an arm 69 about its pivot 69, thereby forcing the lower end of the arm against the neck of the roll 8 to force it toward the roll 8.

The drive for the various rolls is shoan in 'detail in Figure 3. The rolls 8 and 8 are driven from a motor 70 having a worm reduction unit 71 connected to the right-hand end of the motor armature shaft 72 by a flexible coupling 73. The worm reduction unit 71 drives the shaft 60 which is mounted in bearings through a flexible coupling 76. The final transmission gear 61 is carried bythe shaft 60 on the end nearest the galvanizing machine, the gear 61 operating the exit rolls I 8 and 8 as previously described. It will be seen that the only gearing betweenthe driving'amotor 70 and the exit rolls 8 and 8 is the worm reduction unit 71 and that no speed change unit is used between the motor and the exit rolls. This eliminates any vibration or v chatter of the exit rolls, which would neces-' speed change unit a is introduced into the gearing between the driving motor 70 and the entrance and center rolls. ure 3, the left-hand end of the motor armature shaft 72 is connected by a flexible coupling 73 to ashaft 74 of the speed change unit. Mounted loosely on the shaft 74 are four gears, 7 5, 7 6, 77 and 78, the diameter of the. gears decreasing in the order named. Clutches 79 and 80 are keyed to the shaft 74 and may be optionally engaged with the gears 75, 76, 77 and 78. Gears 81, 82,83 and 84, which decrease in diameter in the order named, are secured to a shaft 85. Gears 86, 87, 8,8 and 89, which increase in diameter in the order named, are mounted loosely on a shaft in a manner similar to the gears 75, 76, 77 and 78. 'Clutches 91 and 92 are keyed to the shaft 90 and are slidable so that. the clutch 91 may ings of the exit rolls 8 and 8','each of which dressings ordinarily reduces the diameter of the exit rolls one sixteenth of an inch.

As shown in Fig-" The shaft 90 is connected by a flexible coupling 91a to a second worm-reduction unit 92a, which in turn is connected by a flexible coupling 93 to a mitre gear unit 94. The mitre gear unit 94 drives the shaft 42 to which the bevel gear 41 is secured, the bevel gear 41 Ill driving the center rolls 6 and 6, as previous- For example, a standard link belt infinitely.

variable speed transmission might be used in place of the speed change unit 80a, the particular type of speed change unit depending upon the particular circumstances. The present invention contemplates the use of any suitable type of speed change device in the gearing between the driving motor and the entrance and center rolls of the galvanizing A la cause vibration and chattering of the exit rolls. The only gearing between the driving motor and the exit rolls 8 and 8, in the,

embodiment above described, is a worm reduction unit which does not cause vibration of the exit rolls. The arrangement of the gear transmissions, as herein described, results in a drive which is substantially free from vibration or chattering of the exit rolls and which accordingly deposits an even coating on the sheets which are being treated.

I have illustrated and described the present preferred embodiment of my invention. It is to be understood, however, that the invention may be otherwise embodied within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A drive for coating machines having entrance, center, and exit rolls, comprising a prime mover, a speed change unit operatively connecting the entrance and center rolls with the prime mover, and constant speed ratio gearing connecting the prime mover and exit rolls.

2. A drive for coating machines having entrance, center, and exit rolls, comprising a prime mover, constant speed ratio gearing connecting the prime mover and exit rolls, and change speed gearing connecting the entrance and middle rolls with the prime mover, whereby the speed of revolution of the entrance and center rolls may be adjusted to compensate for dressing the exit rolls.

3. In a drive for coating machines having entrance, center, and exit rolls, a prime mover, and gear transmission between the prime mover andexit rolls, said transmission including a worm reduction unit but being free of speed change devices.

4. A drive for coating machines having entrance, center, and exit rolls, which comprlses a prlme mover, a constant speed ratlo gearlng including a worm reduction unit operatively connecting the prime mover and exit rolls, and change speed gearlng connecting the prime mover with the entrance and center rolls.

tively connected to the final exit rolls, a speed change unit connected to the opposite end of the motor armature shaft, and operative connections between the speed change unit and the entrance and center rolls.

7 A drive for coating machines having entrance, center, and exit rolls, which comprises a motor, a worm reduction unit connected to one end of the inotor armature shaft, a shaft driven by the worm reduction unit and operatively connected to the final exit rolls, a speed change unit connected to the opposite end of the motor armature shaft, and gear transmissions connecting the speed change unit with the entrance and center rolls, each of the gear transmissions having as a final drive unit just prior to the rolls a worm and worm wheel type gear. 8. A drive for coating machines having entrance, center, and exit rolls, which comprises a motor, a worm reduction unit connected to one end of the motor armature shaft, a shaft driven by the worm reduction unit and operatively connected to the final exit rolls, a

said second worm reduction unit, a third worm reduction unit connected to said miter gear unit,-said third worm reduction unit and miter gear unit being entrance and center rolls.

9. A drive for coating machines having entrance, center and exit rolls, which comprises a motor, a worm reduction unit connected thereto, a final transmission gear adapted to rotate the exit rolls, said final transmission gear being driven through said worm reduction unit, the drive for the exit rolls being free of speed change devices, and a speed change unit in the drive for the entrance and center rolls.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ARCHIBALD D. EVANS.

adapted to drive the a 5. A drive for coating machines having entrance, center, and exit rolls, which comprises a motor, a worm reduction unit directly connected thereto, a shaft driven by the worm reduction unit, said shaft being provided with a finaltransmission gear adapted to-rotate the exit rolls, and change speed gearing connecting the motor with the entrance and center rolls.-

6. A drive for coating machines having entrance, center, and exit rolls, which comprises a motor, a worm reduction unit connected to one end of the motor armature shaft, a shaft driven by the worm reduction unit and opera- 

